El Classico 2010

In the Spanish Primera Liga, there are indisputably two giant sides—Real Madrid and Barcelona. The meeting of these two titans of Spanish football, dubbed El Classico, is so huge that it attracts global attention. And once again, an El Classico game is around the corner again. Tomorrow by 9pm local time, Real Madrid and Barcelona will square off again. Every true follower of the sport will definitely want to watch this match.

In the league standings, Real Madrid is at the top of the table; Barcelona is following closely behind, being separated from the top position by just 1 point. I need not tell you the amount of pressure that puts on Real Madrid to keep performing or they could easily be displaced at the top of the league table. So, if you are a betting kind of person, who are you going to bet on?

Well, let’s consider this:

1) Barca won the league title last year. By all considerations, there is no indication that they wouldn’t want to repeat that feat this year again. Beating Real Madrid (current league leaders) is just the kind of feat that will catapult them to the top of the table and perhaps keep them there.

2) Barca has beaten Real Madrid in their past 4 El Classico encounters. This is not a little achievement. As a matter of fact, it is actually a record. I don’t know how they manage to get the psychological advantage over their worthy and equally-matched rivals, but if the recent past is anything to go by, you can be pretty sure that Real Madrid will come out fighting harder this time than you’ve ever remembered them. What remains to be seen is whether Barca will roll over them yet again—for the 5th time.

3) Tomorrow’s match will be played in Camp Nou, the home pitch for the Catalan giants, Barcelona. There is, of course, a very loud, devoted and enthusiastic home crowd cheering wildly, to spur Barcelona on to victory.

These considerations should lead you to conclude that Barca should win the game.

Nevertheless, there is something that should cause every follower of the game to reconsider a careless bet—Jose Mourinho. He was not there last season, and it is quite possible that he’ll be the difference maker this time around. Oh wait; you don’t know who Jose Mourinho is? You don’t know the “Special One”? Hmm. He is magic hand that guided Chelsea to winning seasons in the English Premier League. Then he went to Inter Milan and coached them to a league title and a Champions League trophy. And now, he is at Real Madrid, and not surprisingly, Real Madrid is at the top of the table.

Hate him all you want, the truth is that Mourinho has a winning strategy or formula. He knows how to grind out wins from matches even if that means that fans are denied some fast, free-flowing entertaining football. I am not the biggest fan of his defensive-minded coaching style, but you can’t begrudge the man the fact that he does grind out good results for his teams.

So, tomorrow’s El Classico could very well end with Real Madrid coming to Barcelona, under the guidance of “The Special One”, and walking away the winners of that encounter. It will invariably validate the technical expertise of the Real Madrid coach. Furthermore, for Real Madrid fans, it will be a most welcome revenge for the losses they suffered at the hands of the Catalan giants on their own pitch.

Nevertheless, something tells me that it will not be that easy for Real Madrid. I am a Barca fan—by choice. So, you know I’ll definitely be looking forward to a Barca victory.

I predict a 2-1 or a 3-2 final score line…..in favor of my boys of course. See you tomorrow, with your popcorn and drinks.